


won't take no as an answer

by FujiRouge



Series: Of Greens and Gold [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, Love Confessions, M/M, Stalking, Teacher-Student Relationship, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:41:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28366353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FujiRouge/pseuds/FujiRouge
Summary: Harry might've said no the first time. But a second time was worth a try— Tom doesn't care. He'd take as much chances he can get until he got what he wanted.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle
Series: Of Greens and Gold [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1798438
Comments: 7
Kudos: 206





	won't take no as an answer

"No," was his answer, direct and short.

"But _why_?" Tom asked again.

"You're one of the smartest students here, Riddle," Potter raised a brow, shuffling his papers together. "How about you answer that question yourself?"

Infuriated by Potter's unnatural calmness, Tom inched closer and slammed his hands on the desk, the sound reverberated into the empty room, bouncing against the walls and Tom knew he was acting purely out of his emotions, too distraught by being casually rejected. "Why?" He asked again. 

"Do I need to repeat myself?" 

"No, just for you to elaborate further. Why?" 

"Because I'm your—"

"Yes, yes, I'm your student, you're my teacher. Anything else?" Tom interrupted, patience wearing thin. 

When he was offered no answer, just an incredulous stare. Tom felt smug. "Oh. Is that all then?" 

"What do you mean?" green eyes narrowing through thick frames, a challenge for him to continue.

"Your only reasons of not accepting my feelings was purely because I'm your student. But what if I'm not you student anymore, Professor? I'll be graduating in a few months," Tom drifted his face forward. "You have yet to tell your own feelings back so does that mean I have a chance—"

"Okay then," Potter gritted out. "I don't like you."

Tom sneered. "I don't believe you."

"See?" He crossed his arms. "There's no point. So would you kindly leave my classroom, Riddle?"

"I'm not leaving."

"You are acting like a child."

"Oh really?" Tom was hit by a wave of bravery and curled his fingers around Potter's croaked tie, fighting back the urge to yank it close and kiss off the man's curved lips of clear disdain. "Am I a misbehaving one? Should I be punished?"

Potter snatched back his tie, jaw tightening. " _Leave_ , Tom."

Tom did. Only for the cold words spilling from Potter's mouth and his wretched glare that followed him out as he exited.

* * *

Harry was avoiding him. He didn't call Tom, even when he was the only person raising his arm. Not when Tom was passing his own essay on the front desk, all he got was a hum of acknowledgement before he realized he wasn't gonna receive anymore response than that. 

His classmates soon caught up on their feud and now everyone was questioning what perfect student Tom Riddle, the Slytherin's Head Boy, did to have been in a serious disagreement with their DADA teacher, Potter who was normally a forgiving person. 

Tom hadn't given up. He was gonna make himself noticed no matter what.

So one day, Tom burrowed the Invisible Cloak from Fleamont Potter, having to befriend the Gryffindor and taking a few months before the pureblood could fully trust him. He followed Potter into his personal room in Hogwarts that the older man managed to keep hidden for a long time and quietly stepped in the door.

"...whoever you are, you better show yourself," Potter said, then turned around to face Tom's direction, his eyes scanning around the area. "I know someone's here with me."

"How?" Tom asked, his voice low enough that his identity wouldn't be immediately realized.

"...I can feel it. I've had enough stalkers in my life to realize I'm being followed."

"An exciting life you live then," _have me in it,_ he doesn't say.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Rude, that's not how you talk to a student, Professor."

Potter's eyes widened. "Tom?" 

Tom brought down the cloak enough for his head to be visible. "The one and only."

"Wha—" he paused, then scowled. "Of course you're the one stalking me. What do you want this time?"

"I came to ask—"

"It's still a no."

He flexed his hands, an attempt of gaining some measure of control before he asked. "But why? Can't you give me a chance?" 

"What chance, Tom? There isn't a chance, so can you just drop—"

"Mr Potter?" 

Slughorn.

They both froze. 

Potter shifted closer, in a hush tone, he said. "You are gonna hide yourself in that cloak and quietly leave the room. Hide behind the door as I open it."

Tom glowered, chin raised in defiance. "I'm not gonna leave until you say yes."

"Seriously? At a time like this?" Potter eyed the door anxiously, then turned back at Tom, dread reeling in as he realized how dead serious Tom was.

"Are you there, Mr Potter? Can I come in now—"

"Wait just a minute, Slughorn—" he quickly pulled Tom along and brought him down to his feet, he pushed him inside the desk and with a stern look, he said. "You are gonna stay here, you stubborn arse and not say a damn word. If you do, we're both fucked."

Tom ignored the discomfort of being in such a tight place, body hunched over that his chin nearly reached his knees. "I know the consequences."

Potter stood up again and walked away.

Tom listened to Potter's shuffles of footsteps before the door creaked as it was opened. 

They exchanged pleasantries, then moved on into a topic of essays and class subjects. It was slightly dark from where he sat on the floor, the dust gathering under the desk sprinkled around Tom's clothing, nose threatening a sneeze.

He froze when Slughorn leaned against the top. His weight and close proximity burned through the wood of the desk, bringing an overwhelming sense of awareness as Tom tried to calm his beating heart.

Suddenly, he heard a pen roll from above and fell a few centimeters away from his foot.

Shit. 

"Oh my, let me get that—" 

"No!" Potter piped in. "I'll get that for you, don't worry."

Slughorn doesn't seem to find it suspicious at all. "Oh, thank you, Mr Potter."

Potter's shoes threaded louder. He kneeled in front of Tom, gazes levelling each other as their knees were inches apart. His eyes were sharp, still appearing disgruntled as ever but Tom doesn't back down, returning him with a determined look of his own, then mouthed out. 'Im not giving up.'

Tom doesn't think Potter would understand it within the dark, but he swore there was a swirl of amusement roaming in his eyes and the slight perk of his mouth.

His head leaned over and pecked his lips against Tom's.

It barely lasted for a fraction until Potter grabbed the pen and stood up again, answering a question that Slughorn asked, Tom doesn't listen anymore— his mind stubbornly replaying back to the quick brush of lips and green eyes occupying all of his view.

After 20 minutes, Slughorn said his good-bye and shut the door with an audible click. 

A pause. 

"You are in so much trouble, Tom—"

Tom hurriedly scrambled up from his hiding spot, palms smoothening the wrinkles of his robs. "You kissed me," he said, dream-like and breathless.

That brought an immediate pause from the man, his cheeks glowing in pinkish undertones.

"You kissed me, Harry. You _do_ like me ba—"

"Don't finish that sentence," Harry pinched his nose, brows knitted together. "This is so, so wrong, you're my student—'

"For 4 months—"

"I'm 10 years older than you."

"I don't mind."

Harry shook his head, throat letting out an exasperated laugh. "You always do what you want, huh? Today, you nearly got me fired and you expelled yet remarkably, you remain as shameless as ever."

"Is your answer still a no?" 

Tom watched Harry. The flicker of emotions from reluctance, and, frustration to tired fondness. Then finally, he let out a deep sigh, sounding defeated as he looked. "God, ask me that again after four months. But for now? My answer is a no, so until then, don't even try convincing me otherwise."

"So you're—"

"Yes, Tom," Harry sighed again, a small smile forming. "I'll consider it."

Body giddy with excitement and thrill, Tom's lips curved upwards in the slightest turn, it wasn't a smile, but close enough to be a semblance of it.

"Now get out of my room."

**Author's Note:**

> Comments would be appreciated!
> 
> Oneshot inspired by Close Range Love.


End file.
